


The Vial

by ItsJina



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 3.18 speculation, Coda, Episode: s03ep17 Heavenly Fire, Gen, M/M, POV Magnus Bane, clary jace and izzy in the background, post 3x17
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 19:39:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18430742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsJina/pseuds/ItsJina
Summary: post 3.17/3.18 speculative coda(I just really wanted more Magnus & Asmodeus interactions. I love their dynamic)-----------------------------------------------------------When Magnus comes to from the blast, it is too late.Asmodeus holds Alec by the throat with magic. Clary, Izzy, and Jace are scattered around like rag dolls, their physical bodies twisted in shapes that makes Magnus grimace. He prays no one is fatally injured and hopes they stay down if they wake. Asmodeus will not have mercy the second time.Alec speaks first, choking, “Magnus, I’m–sorry.”The last moments before the blast catches up to Magnus. Alec had entered the balcony room with the others and grabbed his arms, rambling frantically about releasing Asmodeus and how that was a mistake right before Asmodeus made his grand appearance. There had been no time for further explanation when Asmodeus released a burst of energy, knocking them all out.“My son,” Asmodeus drawls, his grin beaming. One hand on his cane, the other near Alec’s throat. “It’s good to see you so soon after your last adventure in Edom.”





	The Vial

When Magnus comes to from the blast, it is too late.

Asmodeus holds Alec by the throat with magic. Clary, Izzy, and Jace are scattered around like rag dolls, their physical bodies twisted in shapes that makes Magnus grimace. He prays no one is fatally injured and hopes they stay down if they wake. Asmodeus will not have mercy the second time.

Alec speaks first, choking, “Magnus, I’m–sorry.”

The last moments before the blast catches up to Magnus. Alec had entered the balcony room with the others and grabbed his arms, rambling frantically about releasing Asmodeus and how that was a mistake right before Asmodeus made his grand appearance. There had been no time for further explanation when Asmodeus released a burst of energy, knocking them all out.

“My son,” Asmodeus drawls, his grin beaming. One hand on his cane, the other near Alec’s throat. “It’s good to see you so soon after your last adventure in Edom.”

Magnus shivers, remembering the skin-crawling palace, the screeches of flying demons, the sense of death permeating all senses. Asmodeus’s smug voice brings back that same petrifying fear he had when he realized Asmodeus was, after all, a prince of hell, a Greater Demon who never loved him.

And now, their situation is precarious. If Asmodeus hadn’t killed them yet, then that meant he wanted something. Magnus himself is relatively unharmed but he can’t do anything. He’s helpless. No magic, no runes, no power.

Magnus keeps his eyes on Asmodeus even as his voice falters and he asks Alec, “Why, Alexander? What did you do?” 

After their last disaster dinner and his breakdown, this dinner was supposed to go right. Everything was supposed to be _perfect_. The roses on the table are still neatly together, the plates untouched by the chaos. Instead of a perfect romantic night, his demon father is here, his friends are dying, and his boyfriend is in pain right in front of him.

Alec fidgets, resisting the hold on him.

For a brief moment, Magnus imagines launching himself at Asmodeus to pry his magic and hands away from Alec, but without his own magic, it was just a reckless, stupid move. Anything he does right now could get someone killed. Magnus is immobile, searching for a solution where everyone is safe from the grips of Asmodeus, but nothing comes to mind. The blast might’ve alarmed anyone who was nearby or felt it. Shadowhunters could show up soon, but how long will Alec or the others last as the minutes stretch?  

Alec blinks several times and gasps, responding to his question, “Your magic.”

Magnus takes a sharp inhale. _Of course_ , he thinks, and despair sinks deeply in the pit of his stomach. Alec was trying to give him his magic back. Alec who looked at him with so much love and wanted to give Magnus the world. Alec who risked everything to give Magnus a part of himself back. Alec’s words comes to him: _All I ever wanted was for you to be happy._

“Let him go, father,” Magnus states calmly. He assesses the situation, recognizing that Asmodeus hasn’t killed anyone–yet. “What do you want?”

Asmodeus chuckles and takes a step forward. Magnus grinds his teeth and steels himself, staring into his father’s cat eyes. The room feels darker with his menacing presence, the lights in the room seeming to bend away from his figure.

“Getting sharper, son,” Asmodeus comments. “Yes, I’ll let them go under one condition.” A vial appears on the table. “Drink this.”

Magnus distrusts it greatly, especially as Alec renews his resistance against the magic, shouting, “No!”

Asmodeus ignores Alec and smiles at him. “Drink, my son.”

“No.”

“Drink, or he dies,” Asmodeus sneers and his hold on Alec tightens.

“Why do any of this, father?” Magnus shouts, eyes switching between Asmodeus and Alec. Alec doesn’t look good, getting paler by the second. “Let him go first.”

“Just do this one thing and then everything will make sense,” Asmodeus continues. “You will finally see your rightful place as my son, as heir to Edom and this world.”

“Let him go!” Magnus repeats. “Let them all go first.”

“Drink first.”

“Father,” Magnus says, the word bitter in his mouth. He looks around him and notices blood seeping out of Clary. He is sure now that Izzy and Jace aren’t faring well either. He looks at Alec, who is so sickly pale, so small against Asmodeus. It feels like hours have passed, but he doesn’t hear anybody coming to help them. He doesn’t know if anyone even knows Asmodeus is here passed the barriers.

Magnus closes his eyes for a second before straightening his shoulders. He looks at Asmodeus. “This is the final favor I will ever ask of you: let them all go, safe and healed. I will drink it and go with you.” He adds quickly, “Without a fight.” It isn’t like he could’ve in his mundane state, but he suspects that this would appease his father more.

From where he stands, Magnus can see the tear that falls down Alec’s face. His face scrunches up in a grimace and he breathes out, “N-no–”

Asmodeus looks at him thoughtfully, but the smirk on his face is clear. “Deal.”

Asmodeus raises his cane and knocks the ground with a loud thud. A burst of magic passes through the room and the crooked bodies around Magnus relaxes, his friends’ bones cracking into place, their wounds healing. Alec is thrown to the floor and he coughs violently, but is otherwise unharmed.

Magnus sighs with relief but he watches Asmodeus, who stares back expectantly. With no escape and his loved ones counting on him, he walks up to the table and reaches for the vial.

“Magnus, don’t,” Alec pleads. He tries to get up, but magic holds him down.

“Hurry up, Magnus,” Asmodeus interrupts. He glances at Alec with a bored look. “Or I might change my mind with this cheeky one.”

Alec ignores Asmodeus and explains quickly, “It’s an anti-love potion.”

Magnus looks at him and then around the room, seeing the others move slowly as they awaken.

“I don’t have a choice,” Magnus says, his voice trembling. His hand shakes and his heart pounds hard against this, against losing the man who looked at his cat eyes and said he was beautiful. He hates everything about this.

Tears fall down Alec’s face openly and he shakes his head. “You don’t have to do this. You hate him. I can’t let you do this.”

To the very end, Alec wants to protect him.

Magnus smiles at the love of his life, putting on his brave front. “I can’t let you die, Alexander,” Magnus says. He wants to touch Alec’s face and caress his cheek. Instead, he stays by the table and says, “It’s okay.”

“Magnus, no, please, no.”

“I love you, Alexander,” Magnus says and he is blinking back tears. “I love you so much.”

He grabs the vial and drinks it like a liquor shot. The effect is instantaneous.

Magnus turns around and sees the Shadowhunters getting up, gathering around Alec protectively. Jace’s face is guarded, jaws clenched. Izzy is cautious, hovering behind Alec. Clary is glaring at Asmodeus with righteous anger.

“How do you feel?” Asmodeus asks, stepping to him and putting a hand on his shoulder.

Magnus doesn’t reel away from his touch. Whatever he feels about his father before this moment evaporates. He breathes and, for the first time in a long time, he feels no weight. “Good, I think. Really good.”

“Magnus,” Alec starts.

“My son,” Asmodeus interrupts and declares proudly. “For making the right choice tonight, I’ll restore your magic. We can go back to our glory days.”

Magnus looks at the four nephilims. Just a few seconds ago, he had strong feelings about them, especially Alec. His body had wanted to run to him and hold him. Now, he feels nothing.

He turns to Asmodeus. “Let’s go.”

“Magnus, I love you.”

He looks at Alec, who states it again, “Magnus. Magnus, I love you.”

The tears and desperation on their faces doesn’t move him. In fact, the room reeks too much of Shadowhunters. Magnus sighs loudly and nods to Asmodeus.

In the second before Asmodeus’s magic takes them away from the room, Magnus notices how Alec never looks away. It annoys him greatly and he closes his eyes to get rid of the man’s face.


End file.
